Art of Botanical Illustration

This major work, first published in 1950, is still considered the classic book on the subject. It provides a comprehensive survey of plant portrayals across over three thousand years.

Wilfrid Blunt (1901-87) was an art master at Haileybury College and at Eton College, Windsor. On his retirement in 1959 he became Curator of the Watts Gallery, near Guildford, Surrey. Here Blunt devoted most of his time to writing and travel and published some 25 books. An artist himself, Blunt brought to Botanical Illustration a craftsman’s appreciation, as well as knowledge gained from experience, his extensive reading and visits to many galleries on the Continent. William Stearn (1911-2001) had a lifelong interest in botanical illustration. His numerous publications included Botanical Latin, Australian Flower Paintings of Ferdinand Bauer, Merian in Surinam, Plant Portraits from the Flora Danica, Flower Artists of Kew and The Orchid Paintings of Franz Bauer. He provided assistance on botanical, biographical and bibliographical matters in Botanical Illustration, and contributed part of the text.